Such is the method of procuring these stones; their form being given them by cutting, a thing that is easily effected. The best of them have just the colour of smaragdus, a thing that proves that the most pleasing property in them is one that belongs of right to another stone. Their beauty is heightened by setting them in gold, and there is no stone to which the contrast of the gold is more becoming. The finest of them lose their colour by coming in contact with oil, unguents, or undiluted wine even; whereas those of a poorer quality preserve their colour better. There is no stone, too, that is more easily counterfeited in glass. Some writers say, that this stone is to be found in Arabia also, in the nest of the bird known as the “melancoryphus.”
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CHAP. 34.
PRASIUS; THREE VARIETIES OF IT.
There are numerous other kinds also of green stones. To the more common class belongs prasius; one variety of which is disfigured with spots like blood, while another kind is marked with three streaks of white. To all these stones chrysoprasus is preferred, which is also similar to the colouring matter of the leek, but varies in tint between topazos and gold. This stone is found of so large a size as to admit of drinking- boats even being made of it, and is cut into cylinders very frequently.
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CHAP. 35.
NILION.
India, which produces these stones, produces nilion also, a stone that differs from the last in its dull, diminished lustre, which, when steadily looked upon, soon fades from the sight. Sudines says that it is to be found also in the Siberus, a river of Attica. In appearance it resembles a smoke-coloured topazos, or, in some cases, a topazos with a tint like honey. According to Juba, Æthiopia produces it, upon the shores of the river known to us as the Nilus; to which circumstance, he says, it owes its name.
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CHAP. 36.
MOLOCHITIS.
Molochitis is not transparent, being of a deeper green, and more opaque than smaragdus; its name is derived from the mallow, which it resembles in colour. It is highly esteemed for making seals, and it is endowed by Nature with medicinal properties which render it a preservative for infants against certain dangers which menace them. This stone is a native of Arabia.
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CHAP. 37.
IASPIS; FOURTEEN VARIETIES OF IT. DEFECTS FOUND IN IASPIS.
Iaspis, too, is green, and often transparent; a stone which, if surpassed by many others, still retains the renown which it acquired in former times. Many countries produce this stone: that of India is like smaragdus in colour; that of Cyprus is hard, and of a full sea-green; and that of Persia is sky-blue, whence its name, “aërizusa.” Similar to this last is the Caspian iaspis. On the banks of the river Thermodon the iaspis is of an azure colour; in Phrygia, it is purple; and in Cappadocia of an azure purple, sombre, and not refulgent. Amisos sends us an iaspis like that of India in colour, and Chalcedon, a stone of a turbid hue.
But it is of less consequence to distinguish the several localities that furnish it, than it is to remark upon the degrees of excellence which they present. The best kind is that which has a shade of purple, the next best being the rose-coloured, and the next the stone with the green colour of the smaragdus; to each of which the Greeks have given names according to their respective tints. A fourth kind, which is called by them “boria,” resembles in colour the sky of a morning in autumn; this, too, will be the same that is known as “aërizusa.” There is an iaspis also which resembles sarda in appearance, and another with a violet tint. Not less numerous, too, are the other kinds that are left undescribed; but they are all blue to a fault, or else resemble crystal in appearance, or the tints of the myxa plum. There is the terebenthine-coloured iaspis also; improperly so called, in my opinion, as it has all the appearance of being a composition of numerous gems of this description.
The best of these stones are set in an open bezel, the gold of which only embraces the margins of the stone, leaving the upper and lower surfaces uncovered. One great defect in them is a subdued lustre, and a want of refulgence when viewed from a distance. Grains also like salt appear within the stone, and all the other defects which are common to precious stones in general. Sometimes they are imitated in glass; a fraud, however, which may be easily detected, from the material throwing out its refulgence, instead of concentrating it within itself. To this class also belongs the stone called “sphragis,” which is only reckoned as belonging to the domain of precious stones, from the circumstance that it is the best of all for making signets.
(9.) Throughout all the East, it is the custom, it is said, to wear iaspis by way of amulet. The variety of this stone which resembles smaragdus in colour is often found with a white line running transversely through the middle; in which case it is known as “monogrammos:” when it is streaked with several lines, it is called “polygrammos.” Here, too, I may take the opportunity of exposing the falsehoods of the magicians, who pretend that this stone is beneficial for persons when speaking in public. There is a stone also that is formed of iaspis and onyx combined, and is known as “iasponyx.” Sometimes this stone has a clouded appearance; sometimes it has spots upon the surface like snow; and sometimes it is stellated with red spots. One kind resembles salt of Megara in appearance, and another is known as capnias, and looks as if it had been smoked. We have seen in our day an iaspis fifteen inches in length, of which a figure of Nero was made, armed with a cuirass.
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CHAP. 38.
CYANOS; THE SEVERAL VARIETIES OF IT.
We must also give a separate account of cyanos, a name which, until very recently, was given to a species of iaspis, on account of its cærulean colour. The best kind is that of Scythia, the next best being the produce of Cyprus, and, last of all, that of Egypt. An artificial kind is much in use, that is prepared by dyeing other substances; and this invention is looked upon as one of the great glories of the kings of Egypt, the name of the king who first discovered it being still preserved in their annals. This stone, too, is divided into male and female, and sometimes it has the appearance of being powdered with a golden dust, in much the same way as sapphiros.
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CHAP. 39.
SAPPHIROS.
For sapphiros, too, is refulgent with spots like gold. It is also of an azure colour, though sometimes, but rarely, it is purple; the best kind being that which comes from Media. In no case, however, is this stone diaphanous; in addition to which, it is not suited for engraving when intersected with hard particles of a crystalline nature. Those among them that have the colour of cyanos are generally thought to be the male stones.
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CHAP. 40.
AMETHYSTOS; FOUR VARIETIES OF IT. SOCONDION. SAPENOS. PHARANITIS. APHRODITES BLEPHARON, ANTEROS, OR PÆDEROS.
We will now commence with another class of precious stones, those of a purple colour, or whose tints are derived from purple. To the first rank belongs the amethystos of India; a stone which is also found in the part of Arabia that adjoins Syria and is known as Petra, as also in Lesser Armenia, Egypt, and Galatia; the very worst of all, and the least valued, being those of Thasos and Cyprus. The name which these stones bear, originates, it is said, in the peculiar tint of their brilliancy, which, after closely approaching the colour of wine, passes off into a violet without being fully pronounced; or else, according to some authorities, in the fact that in their purple there is something that falls short of a fiery colour, the tints fading off and inclining to the colour of wine.
All these stones are transparent and of an agreeable violet colour, and are easy to engrave. Those of India have in perfection the very richest shades of purple, and it is to attain this colour that the dyers in purple direct all their endeavours; it presenting a fine mellowed appearance to the eye, and not dazzling the sight, as in the case with the colours of the carbunculus. Another variety approaches more near
ly the hyacinth in colour: the people of India call this tint “socon,” and the stone itself “socondion.” A third stone of this class is of a more diluted colour, and is known as “sapenos,” being identical with “pharanitis,” so called from a country on the frontiers of Arabia that produces it. Of a fourth kind, the colour is like that of wine; and in a fifth it borders very closely upon that of crystal, the purple gradually passing off into white. This last kind is but little valued; for a fine amethyst should always have, when viewed sideways and held up to the light, a certain purple refulgence, like that of carbunculus, slightly inclining to a tint of rose.
Some prefer giving these stones the name of “pæderos” or of “anteros,” while to many they are known as “Venus’ eyelid,” a name which would seem to be particularly appropriate to the colour and general appearance of the gem. The falsehoods of the magicians would persuade us that these stones are preventive of inebriety, and that it is from this that they have derived their name. They tell us also, that if we inscribe the names of the sun and moon upon this stone, and then wear it suspended from the neck, with some hair of the cynocephalus and feathers of the swallow, it will act as a preservative against all noxious spells. It is said too, that worn in any manner, this stone will ensure access to the presence of kings; and that it will avert hail and the attacks of locusts, if a certain prayer is also repeated which they mention. They make similar promises, too, in reference to the smaragdus, if graven with the figure of an eagle or of a scarabæus: statements which, in my opinion, they cannot have committed to writing without a feeling of contempt and derision for the rest of mankind.
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CHAP. 41.
HYACINTHOS.
Very different from this stone is hyacinthos, though partaking of a colour that closely borders upon it. The great difference between them is, that the brilliant violet which is so refulgent in the amethystos, is diluted in the other stone. Though pleasing at first sight, its beauty fades before the eye is satiated; indeed, so far is it from satisfying the sight, that it almost wholly fails to attract the eye, its lustre disappearing more rapidly than the tints of the flower known by the same name.
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CHAP. 42.
CHRYSOLITHOS: SEVEN VARIETIES OF IT.
Æthiopia, which produces hyacinthos, produces chrysolithos also, a transparent stone with a refulgence like that of gold. The stones of India are the most highly esteemed, as also those found among the Tibareni, provided these last are not of a mottled hue. The worst in quality are those of Arabia, the colour of them being turbid and mottled, and their brilliancy interrupted by cloudy spots: even too, when they happen to be limpid, they have all the appearance of being full, as it were, of a peculiar dust. The best stones are those which, when placed by the side of gold, impart to it a sort of whitish hue, and so give it the appearance of silver. When this is the case, they are set in a bezel that is open on either side; but when the stone is of inferior quality, a ground of aurichalcum is placed beneath.
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CHAP. 43.
CHRYSELECTRUM.
Though it has now altogether gone out of use for jewellery, there is a precious stone known as “chryselectrum,” the colour of which inclines to that of amber; but only when viewed by a morning light. The stones of Pontus are known by their lightness. Some of them are hard and reddish, while others, again, are soft and of a soiled appearance. According to Bocchus, these stones are found in Spain as well; in a spot where, according to him, fossil crystal has been discovered, in sinking to the water-level for wells. He tells us also that he once saw a chrysolithos twelve pounds in weight.
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CHAP. 44.
LEUCOCHRYSOS: FOUR VARIETIES OF IT.
There is also a stone known as “leucochrysos,” with a white vein running across it. To this class, too, belongs capnias; a stone also which resembles glass in appearance; and another which reflects a tint like that of saffron. These stones are imitated in glass, to such a degree of perfection, that it is impossible to distinguish them by the eye. The touch, however, detects the difference, the imitation being not so cold as the real stone.
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CHAP. 45.
MELICHRYSOS. XUTHON.
To this class also belongs melichrysos, a stone which has all the appearance of pure honey, seen through transparent gold. India produces these stones, and, although hard, they are very brittle, but not unpleasing to the sight. The same country, too, produces xuthon, a stone much used by the lower classes there.
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CHAP. 46.
PÆDEROS, SANGENON, OR TENITES.
At the very head of the white stones is pæderos; though it may still be questionable to which of the colours it in reality belongs. As to the name, it has been so much bandied about among other precious stones of conspicuous beauty, that it has quite assumed the privilege of being a synonymous term for all that is charming to the eye. Still, however, there is one stone in particular which fully merits all the commendation that might be expected for a stone with so prepossessing a name: for in itself it reunites the transparency of crystal, the peculiar green of the sky, the deep tints of purple, and a sort of bright reflex, like that of a golden-coloured wine; a reflex, indeed, that is always the last to meet the eye, but is always crowned with the lustrous hues of purple. The stone, in fact, has all the appearance of having been bathed in each of these tints, individually, and yet in the whole of them at once. There is no precious stone either that has a clearer water than this, or that presents a more pleasing sweetness to the eye.
Pæderos of the finest quality comes from India, where it is known as “sangenon;” the next best being that of Egypt, called “tenites.” That of third-rate quality is found in Arabia, but it is rough upon the surface. Next, we have the stone of Pontus, the radiance of which is softer than in that of Thasos, which, in its turn, is of a more mellowed colour than the stones of Galatia, Thrace, and Cyprus. The defects com- monly found in these stones are, a want of brilliancy, a confusion with colours which do not properly belong to them, and the other imperfections which are found in stones in general.
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CHAP. 47.
ASTERIA.
Next among the white stones is “asteria,” a gem which holds its high rank on account of a certain peculiarity in its nature, it having a light enclosed within, in the pupil of an eye as it were. This light, which has all the appearance of moving within the stone, it transmits according to the angle of inclination at which it is held; now in one direction, and now in another. When held facing the sun, it emits white rays like those of a star, and to this, in fact, it owes its name. The stones of India are very difficult to engrave, those of Carmania being preferred.
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CHAP. 48.
ASTRION.
Of a similar white radiance is the stone that is known as “astrion,” closely resembling crystal in its nature, and found in India and upon the coasts of Pallene. In the centre of it there shines internally a brilliant star, with a refulgence like that of the moon when full. Some will have it that this stone receives its name from the fact that, when held opposite to the stars, it absorbs the light they emit and then returns it. The finest stones, they say, are those of Carmania, there being none more entirely free from all defects. They add, also, that a stone of inferior quality is known as “ceraunia,” and that, in the worst of all, the light is very similar to that given by a lamp.
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CHAP. 49.
ASTRIOTES.
Astriotes, too, is a stone that is highly esteemed, and Zoroaster, they say, has sung its wondrous praises as an adjunct of the magic art.
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CHAP. 50.
ASTROBOLOS.
Sudines says, that astrobolos resembles the eye of a fish in appearance, and
that it has a radiant white refulgence when viewed in the sun.
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CHAP. 51.
CERAUNIA; FOUR VARIETIES OF IT.
Among the white stones also, there is one known as “ceraunia,” which absorbs the brilliancy of the stars. It is of a crystalline formation, of a lustrous azure colour, and is a native of Carmania. Zenothemis admits that it is white, but asserts that it has the figure of a blazing star within. Some of them, he says, are dull, in which case it is the custom to steep them for some days in a mixture of nitre and vinegar; at the end of which period the star makes its appearance, but gradually dies away by the end of as many months.
Delphi Complete Works of Pliny the Elder Page 262
